Over the years, consumerism has morphed culture all around the world. The demand for products creates a gateway for foreign goods, services, and entertainment to enter into homes. Large companies also branch out to different countries, increasing profits by targeting foreign customers and well as local ones. The integration of foreign products starts to shape people’s values and ideals, shifting the national culture.
Canada is no stranger to this event. A large portion of TV shows, radio stations, movies, and music all come from our neighbouring country, America. American media has influenced a vast number of different countries, some more than other others. In Canada, radio stations, television programs, and other media sources have requirements for a certain amount of Canadian content need to be aired. This is in order to preserve the culture of our country. For instance, the Sound Recording and Development Program was established and funded by the government to promote our country’s music in 1986.
The protection of native culture, specifically from americanization, can be seen in other countries too. A well-known example of this is the North Korean Media laws, preventing the entirety of the population from connecting to any information coming from out of the country. There is also government regulated media, and all radios must be police checked, pre-tuned to only play stations that have been approved. Although these laws are effective in protecting their country's ideals from being influenced by foreign values, many citizens have illegally streamed movies and other foreign entertainments. This sparks the question, should cultural change based on consumer wants be encouraged, or banned?
The cartoon above illustrates how integrated the effects of americanization can be, to the point where many of the people affected don't even notice.
The Positive Side of Consumerism-based Culture
Language:
Language is one of the biggest advantages that comes with non-native entertainment. Having access to stream movies and other media that comes from different countries, many in different languages as well. For instance, many people find it helpful to watch children's shows in the new language they are learning to be able to hear it spoken simply. This same idea also applies to a larger factor. By speaking the same language, business deals, negotiations, and trade agreements are examples of what can be achieved without a language barrier. Countries become more intertwined, benefiting from each other when they share a common language and are able to easily communicate.
Technology:
Another positive impact that consumerism can bring to native culture, is the improvement of technology. The demand for better quality smartphones, laptops, and other devices increase the number of companies selling products abroad. This allows more contact to be made between countries, and for things like advertisements to make their way into other countries. It also creates competition, which increases the overall quality and price of the products being sold. Lastly, the technology itself opens a new way for people of different nationalities to interact, the internet.
Open-mindedness:
Consumerism increases the amount of exposure people have to different values. This decreases the chance of narrow-mindedness and prejudices that can be formed from lack of interaction with diverse people. Modern-day consumerism is largely based on foreign products. So, by using the drive that comes from consumerism to explore a multitude of different cultures, we can help eradicate these problems.
Kroes, Rob. "America, Americanization, and Anti-Americanism." In Encyclopedia of European Social History, edited by Peter N. Stearns, 523-532. Vol. 1, Methods & Theory/Periods/Regions, Nations, Peoples/Europe & the World. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. Global Issues in Context Accessed November 21, 2017. http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3460500058/GIC?u=albertak12&xid=457e2179.
What does 'Culture as a Consumer Product' mean?
Over the years, consumerism has morphed culture all around the world. The demand for products creates a gateway for foreign goods, services, and entertainment to enter into homes. Large companies also branch out to different countries, increasing profits by targeting foreign customers and well as local ones. The integration of foreign products starts to shape people’s values and ideals, shifting the national culture.
Canada is no stranger to this event. A large portion of TV shows, radio stations, movies, and music all come from our neighbouring country, America. American media has influenced a vast number of different countries, some more than other others. In Canada, radio stations, television programs, and other media sources have requirements for a certain amount of Canadian content need to be aired. This is in order to preserve the culture of our country. For instance, the Sound Recording and Development Program was established and funded by the government to promote our country’s music in 1986.
The protection of native culture, specifically from americanization, can be seen in other countries too. A well-known example of this is the North Korean Media laws, preventing the entirety of the population from connecting to any information coming from out of the country. There is also government regulated media, and all radios must be police checked, pre-tuned to only play stations that have been approved. Although these laws are effective in protecting their country's ideals from being influenced by foreign values, many citizens have illegally streamed movies and other foreign entertainments. This sparks the question, should cultural change based on consumer wants be encouraged, or banned?
The cartoon above illustrates how integrated the effects of americanization can be, to the point where many of the people affected don't even notice.The Positive Side of Consumerism-based Culture
Language:
Language is one of the biggest advantages that comes with non-native entertainment. Having access to stream movies and other media that comes from different countries, many in different languages as well. For instance, many people find it helpful to watch children's shows in the new language they are learning to be able to hear it spoken simply. This same idea also applies to a larger factor. By speaking the same language, business deals, negotiations, and trade agreements are examples of what can be achieved without a language barrier. Countries become more intertwined, benefiting from each other when they share a common language and are able to easily communicate.
Technology:
Another positive impact that consumerism can bring to native culture, is the improvement of technology. The demand for better quality smartphones, laptops, and other devices increase the number of companies selling products abroad. This allows more contact to be made between countries, and for things like advertisements to make their way into other countries. It also creates competition, which increases the overall quality and price of the products being sold. Lastly, the technology itself opens a new way for people of different nationalities to interact, the internet.Open-mindedness:
Consumerism increases the amount of exposure people have to different values. This decreases the chance of narrow-mindedness and prejudices that can be formed from lack of interaction with diverse people. Modern-day consumerism is largely based on foreign products. So, by using the drive that comes from consumerism to explore a multitude of different cultures, we can help eradicate these problems.
Read further about how Canada promotes Canadian content:
http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/topics-domaines/ip-pi/canculture.aspx?lang=en
Or what americanization is and how it spread:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14682740903388566
Bibliography:
Government of Canada, Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Assistant Deputy Minister Public Affairs, Corporate Communications, E-Communications. "Canadian Culture in a Global World." GAC. November 27, 2015. Accessed November 19, 2017. http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/topics-domaines/ip-pi/canculture.aspx?lang=en.
Kroes, Rob. "America, Americanization, and Anti-Americanism." In Encyclopedia of European Social History, edited by Peter N. Stearns, 523-532. Vol. 1, Methods & Theory/Periods/Regions, Nations, Peoples/Europe & the World. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001. Global Issues in Context Accessed November 21, 2017. http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3460500058/GIC?u=albertak12&xid=457e2179.
"North Korea's tightly controlled media." BBC News. December 19, 2011. Accessed November 20, 2017. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-16255126.